L-3 Vertex 1-year anniversary

John “Ed” Boyington Jr., Vertex Aerospace’s CEO, talks about the company’s first year in operation since L-3 Technologies sold it to American Industrial Partners - integrating with Crestview and TCS, and expanding internationally and becoming a full services aftermarket sustainment company with more than $1B in revenues. Before the sale, he was president of L-3 Vertex Aerospace. He is a retired Navy flag officer. It's been more than a year for Vertex. So, what's changed? (Source: MRO-Network 08/30/19) https://www.mro-network.com/maintenance-repair-overhaul/fast-5-vertex-aerospace-ceo-first-year-l-3

La. firm's contract for Fort Benning

Tiya Services LLC of Baton Rouge, La., was awarded a $36,622,610 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for base operations support services acquisition. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed in Fort Benning, Ga., with an estimated completion date of Aug. 31, 2024. FY 2019 Army operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $6,339,755 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command of Fort Benning is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 08/30/19)

Fla. AFBs preparing for Dorian

Air Force bases across most of Florida are preparing for Hurricane Dorian, which is expected to make landfall as a Cat 4 storm Sept. 2. The National Hurricane Center has said that there is an “increasing likelihood of life-threatening storm surge along portions of the Florida east coast,” but that it was too soon to say where the worst damage will occur. Patrick AFB, Fla., declared Hurricane Condition 4, and is expecting surface winds in excess of 50 knots at the base and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. HURCON alerts are on a 1-5 scale, with five being the least urgent. Homestead AFB, Fla., near Miami, was at HURCON 3 on Aug. 29. MacDill AFB, on the west coast of Florida, wsas at HURCON 5 on Aug. 28, and is evacuating some of its KC-135s to McConnell AFB, Kan. The Hurricane Hunters of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron at Keesler AFB, Miss., has flown several missions into the storm earlier this week after deploying to Curacao, and are expected to relocate to Homestead. In NW Florida, Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field said on Facebook they do not expect to be affected by Dorian. Tyndall AFB, Fla., has not indicated any major storm preparations. Tyndall was devastated last fall by Hurricane Michael. (Source: AF Magazine 08/29/19) http://airforcemag.com/Features/Pages/2019/August%202019/Florida-Bases-Prepare-for-Hurricane-Dorian.aspx

Conrad begins 2nd tow build

Conrad Shipyard of Morgan City, La., has started production on a second 6,000-hp inland towboat designed by MiNO Marine of New Orleans. The vessel measures 166 feet long and will be powered by Tier 4 engines. Conrad has orders from two customers for the vessels, but neither the shipyard nor the designer would release the company names. Conrad’s production line is geared for serial production for multiple customers, and component manufacturing coupled with a modular build strategy results in efficiencies in production, on-time delivery and lower costs to the customer. The new towboats will have an optimized hull form for improved performance, and the design is intended to be flexible to accommodate different propulsion drive-trains. The vessels currently under construction each utilize different engines; one vessel will be equipped with GE engines, and the other will have EMD engines. (Source: Work Boat 08/29/19) https://www.workboat.com/news/shipbuilding/conrad-shipyard-starts-production-on-second-6000-hp-inland-towboat/

LMT-Meridian celebrates 50 years

MERIDIAN, Miss. - Lockheed Martin (LMT) employees and local Meridian community leaders marked the 50th anniversary of the corporation's subassembly plant Aug. 29. LMT’s Meridian facility began production operations in August 1969, initially producing the L-1011 jet airliner's empennage. Since then, the facility has been involved in the production of aircraft components for JetStar, C-5 Galaxy, C-141 Starlifter, P-3 Orion submarine hunter, F-22 Raptor fighter jet, and the C-130J Super Hercules tactical airlifter. "While these iconic aircraft have made history around the world, we are proud to say their roots are in Meridian, Mississippi," said Mike Sarpu, VP/GM of Operations at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. "We have relied on the skills and craftmanship of the Meridian team for 50 years - and for many more to come.” There are 150 employees that work in the 110,000 square-foot building that makes 50 percent of the C-130J's fuselage. More than 430 C-130Js have been delivered to date. Final assembly takes place at Lockheed Martin's site in Marietta, Ga. (Source: Lockheed Martin 08/29/19) https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lockheed-martins-meridian-miss-facility-celebrates-50th-anniversary-300909368.html

New boss of 2nd AF at Keesler

KEESLER AFB, Miss – Major General Andrea Tullos assumed command of the Second Air Force from Major General Timothy Leahy during a change of command ceremony here Aug. 29. Tullos comes to south Mississippi from duty as director of security forces and deputy chief of staff for logistics, engineering and force protection at Air Force headquarters in Arlington, Va. Leahy highlighted how the Air Force will always be a part of his life even after he retires - after 37 years of service – and transitions to civilian life. For those in uniform, it has been “the privilege of my life to stand next to you in formation and defend this great nation" Leahy said. The Second Air Force was reassigned in July 1993 to Keesler AFB. Its mission became conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and support officers at five major Air Education and Training Command training bases in the United States, including two other units at Keesler, the 81st Training Wing and 602nd Training Group (P). (Source: Second Air Force 08/29/19) https://www.keesler.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1947881/second-af-welcomes-tullos-bids-farewell-to-leahy/

EMBDC, military meet for harmony

East Mississippi businesses, active duty military and the national guard gathered Aug. 27 to discuss ways to work together to help grown the local economy. The East Mississippi Business Development Corp. held its first ‘Our Military Family: Operation Information’ get-together at the Key Brothers Hangar in Meridian to bring the groups face-to-face to discuss ways to work in cooperative unison. Archie McDonnell, board chair of EMBDC and CEO/President of Citizens National Bank, said EMBDC has developed a five-year plan that focuses on industries that are already in the area and working on expanding those opportunities. The military and the healthcare industry are two of the largest in East Mississippi, he said. The military accounts for an estimated economic impact of $500M across the region, according to McDonnell said. NAS Meridian Commanding Officer Capt. Brian Horstman says the base is ready to support the community on issues such as collaborating with the state on infrastructure projects, working with a local university and development that will benefit civilians and members of the military. Over the years, NASM has worked to improve the quality of life by focusing on improvement to education, employment, real estate, business and by volunteering in the community, the CO said. Col. Britt Watson, vice wing commander for the 186th Air Refueling Wing at Meridian, said the military as a whole provides training and those skills can be used in business. The 186th ARW has 780 part-time members who work in businesses and who provide ideas used in the 186th's mission. (Source: Meridian Star 08/28/19) https://www.meridianstar.com/news/local_news/meridian-military-business-communities-join-forces/article_e73efb6a-056a-550e-8bc8-8a70395ca15f.html

Hurricane Hunters fly thru Dorian

KEESLER AFB, Miss. - Three WC-103J’s and one C-130J Super Hercules aircraft from the 403rd Wing departed Keesler Air Force Base on Aug. 27 for Curacao to provide weather reconnaissance support for Tropical Storm Dorian. The three weather crews, assigned to the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, have been flying missions as of Monday night, said Maj. Kendall Dunn, 53rd WRS pilot. The tactical airlift crew, assigned to the 815th Airlift Squadron, is carrying extra cargo and aircraft parts to support the weather aircraft, he added. According to the National Hurricane Center website in regards to Tropical Storm Dorian, TS conditions are expected and hurricane conditions are possible in Puerto Rico on Aug. 29 and portions of the Dominican Republic into Thursday. The Hurricane Hunters’ aircrews fly through the eye of a storm four to six times to locate the low-pressure center and circulation of the storm. During each pass, they release a dropsonde, which collects weather data on its descent to the ocean surface, specifically gathering data on the surface winds and pressure. Due to a lack of radar and weather balloons availability over the Atlantic Ocean, the 53rd WRS flies into the storms, gathers the data, and provides this data to the NHC to assist with forecasts and storm warnings via a satellite communication every 10 minutes. (Source: Keesler AFB 08/29/19) https://www.keesler.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1945905/flying-tropical-storm-dorian/

KAFB med tech among OAY-19

ARLINGTON, Va. - The Air Force Association (AFA) its 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year (OAY) for 2019. AFA began the program in 1956 to honor the exceptional hard work and dedication of the AF’s enlisted personnel. The airmen presented the Outstanding Airman of the Year Award display superior leadership, job performance, community involvement, and personal achievement over the preceding 12 months. Among the 12 recipients is SSgt Gary G. Jeffrey III, Medical Materiel Technician with the 81st Medical Support Squadron at Keesler AFB, Miss. The Tiffin, Ohio, native led the wing’s flu vaccine program by securing 190,000 doses and coordinating with four agencies, ensuring immunizations for three DoD sites five weeks early. He secured a cross-command leech treatment transfer within 24 hours, avoiding a two-week patient care delay, ultimately saving a patient’s limb. He designed training for 29 accounts, briefing three acquisition processes to 96 customers, cutting 1,500 errors and decreasing delivery time from seven days to one. He balanced cost center operations, certifying 44 Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve accounts, worth $670,000, supporting one of three national disaster response teams. (Source: AFA 07/16/19) https://www.afa.org/publications-news/news/2019-08-16/afa-salutes-the-2019-outstanding-airmen-of-the-year. The 12 OAY will be recognized at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Md., from Sept. 16-18. To register or learn more about the event and the OAY program, click here.

CAFB: Best performance at FAIP

COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. - Columbus Air Force Base sent some 65 pilots to this year’s FAIP Flag competition from Aug. 9-11, hosted at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, New Orleans, where they won overall best performance amongst all the competitions held. All three training aircraft - the T-6 Texan II, T-38 Talon and T-1 Jayhawk - were used during the flying competition. “We need to keep doing this kind of competition because it challenges the instructor force to better themselves and refine their skills as both an aviator and instructor pilot,” said Capt. Gared Chapman, 41st Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot at CAFB. After graduating from pilot training the newest aviators are given an assigned aircraft but some aviators don’t immediately go to that aircraft, instead they return to trainer aircraft to teach as instructor pilots. These flyers are termed first assignment instructor pilots (FAIPs). Capt. Maxwell Adler of the 41st FTS won the low-level time over target competition in a T-6 together with other instructor pilots from the 41st. (Source: Columbus AFB 0/619) https://www.columbus.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1940676/team-blaze-triumphs-over-the-competition-at-2019-faip-flag-championship/

Services failing to track base access

The Army, Marines and Navy should be doing a better job of monitoring access to their bases as a way to prevent mass shootings like devastating attack that killed 13 at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009, according to a Government Accountability Office report. In 2013, a Navy contractor killed 12 in a shooting at the Washington (DC) Navy Yard. All branches of the military rely on physical access control systems (PACS) to screen people who onboard those bases - checking identities with FBI and other government databases. The GAO discovered that the Defense Department "didn't know the extent to which its installations were using these systems because the Army, Navy and Marine Corps have not monitored their use," the report states. "The Air Force and (Defense Logistics Agency) monitor their installations' use of PACS, and the Army, the Navy, and the Marine Corps do not." GAO conducted several base site visits to observe the use of the access systems and found that AF and DLA officials routinely collect data, and the number of credentials scanned at their bases, according to the report. The AF uses the data to brief base commanders on the risks associated with not using Defense Biometric Identification Systems (DBIDS), the report states. DBIDS is used by the AF, Navy, Marines and DLA to control access to respective bases. The system uses hardware and software to electronically connect databases using the DoD’s Identity Matching Engine for Security and Analysis to determine an individual's fitness for access, according to the GAO. Army, Navy and Marine Corps officials stated they do not monitor physical access control system use at their installations because the DoD does not require it, according to the report. DoD’s lack of a requirement means the Army, Navy and Marines "do not know the extent to which PACS are being used at more than 100 installations," according to the report. As a result of findings, GAO made five recommendations … (Source: Military.com 08/25/19) https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/08/25/services-failing-track-base-access-years-after-mass-shootings-gao-finds.html

MS disaster relief for more counties

PEARL, Miss. - Issaquena, Sharkey, Warren and Yazoo counties in Mississippi to a disaster declaration in response to severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in late February. The additional four counties brings the total receiving federal assistance to 29. Among some of the others already covered are Alcorn, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Leflore, Lowndes, Montgomery, Panola, Pontotoc, Quitman, and Tishomingo. The state awaits word on whether individual assistance will become available in the four added counties. (Source: The AP 08/23/19)

Miss. GCCC expanding campus

PERKINSTON, Miss. - Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, already the second largest CC in the state, is expanding its flagship Perkinston campus, according to a report from WLOX-TV. The college is building a new four-lane access road that will connect to U.S. 49, and broke ground Aug. 21 on a new early childhood education center to train child care workers. The college is also building a new student union, cafeteria, and a 206-bed dormitory. The road is scheduled to be completed later this year. The buildings are scheduled to be finished in 2020. The dormitory will boost housing available on campus to about 1,100. President Mary Graham says new fields of study are also under consideration. Mississippi Gulf Coast has an overall student population of 9,000. (Source: WLOX 08/22/189)

AF suicide prevention standdown

EGLIN AFB, Fla. - Commanders of Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field, Fla., have announced local plans for a mandated AF-wide, day-long stand-down to focus on suicide prevention. The stand-down comes as the AF struggles with a large increase (78 as of Aug. 1 to 50 last year) of suicides. Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright: “We lose more airmen to suicide than any other single enemy," he said in a video message to airmen. In an Aug. 1 letter to all AF commanders, Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein set a Sept. 15 deadline for a “resilience tactical pause.” At Hurlburt Field, the stand-down is scheduled for Aug. 26. Hurlburt Field has lost four airmen to suicide since 2018, according to Lt. Steve Bodovinitz, public information officer for the 1st Special Operations Wing. “We need to take some time, talk to each other, and offer some ideas,” 1st SOW commander Col. Michael Conley said in a message to airmen. For the past two weeks, Hurlburt’s leadership has been soliciting ideas from airmen on suicide prevention. “There’s no one-size-fits-all answer,” Conley wrote, but he trusts wing leadership to pick tools that will be most effective. “I’m not naive. I know one day of talks isn’t going to end suicide,” Conley told Hurlburt Field personnel. Monday’s pause “won’t be a ‘one and done’ event,” he said. At Eglin, Brig. Gen. Scott Cain, 96th Test Wing commander, announced a tactical pause for Sept. 3. Since Goldfein’s mandate, Eglin has educated facilitators to assist airmen in holding conversations about suicide, Cain said in his announcement. In some instances, Cain said, small-group discussions have already begun, and conversations will continue through Sept. 15. (Source: Walton Sun 08/25/19)

Adm. Gilday is new CNO

WASHINGTON - Adm. Mike Gilday relieved Adm. John Richardson as the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) in a ceremony Aug. 22 at the Washington Navy Yard. Gilday is the 32nd CNO, the Navy's senior officer. As a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the CNO acts as an advisor to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council, and the Secretary of Defense. Under direction of the Secretary of the Navy, the CNO is responsible for the command, utilization of resources, and operating efficiency of naval forces and shore activities assigned by the secretary. Adm. Mike Gilday is the son of a sailor and a surface warfare officer from Lowell, Mass., and a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. As a flag officer, he served as commander Carrier Strike Group 8 embarked aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), and as commander of both the U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and U.S 10th Fleet. (Source: Chief of Naval Operations 08/22/19)

NASM housing below average

WASHINGTON - The Navy has released additional details from its 2019 Summary of the Navy Public Private Venture (PPV) Housing ‘Out of Cycle’ Survey conducted from April 2-May 9 based on concerns with privatized family housing. The independent surveyor CEL & Associates provided the results for Commander Navy Installations Command, and is available here. In July, the Navy released a redacted version of the “out of cycle” survey to allow PPV partners enough time to develop corrective action plans. The Navy has released the rest of the results to enhance transparency for residents who participated, now that the housing providers have identified corrective actions. Action plans are in progress or will soon begin, once they're reviewed by Navy business agreement managers and Navy region and installation leadership. Each installation action plan is tied to specific concerns raised by residents in the out-of-cycle survey that warrant action by installation property managers. The Navy is the non-managing member. Public Private Venture housing partners are the managing members. The Navy’s six PPV partners are Balfour Beatty (BBC), Clark, Hunt, Landmark, Lincoln, and Patrician. Balfour Beatty manages 11 installations in the Southeast (5 of 6 listed below). Patrician operates about 900 family housing units at NAS/JRB New Orleans. Survey results for six Gulf Coast area bases housing units, and the results, included a No. 15 rating among 42 bases in these results for NAS Whiting Field, Fla., which got a “good” rating at 77.6 percent; No. 18 for NAS/JRB New Orleans, which got a “good” rating at 75.3 percent; No. 25 for NCBC Gulfport, Miss., which got an “average” rating at 71.3 percent; No. 28 for NAS Pensacola, Fla., which got a “below average” rating at 63 percent; No. 37 for NAS Meridian, Miss., which got a “below average” rating at 64.3 percent; and No. 39 for NSA Panama City, Fla., which got a “poor” rating at 62.3 percent. (Source: Naval Installations Command 08/21/19)

Removing vet-debt hurdles

President Donald Trump signed an executive action Aug. 21 that seeks to remove bureaucratic barriers for permanently disabled veterans to qualify for student loan forgiveness, which would save 25,000 wounded warriors an average of $30,000, he said during the American Veterans’ national convention in Louisville, Ky. Trump was joined onstage for the announcement by education secretary Betsy DeVos, and deputy VA secretary James Byrne. The projected savings represent a small fraction of about $1.6T in overall student loan debt in the United States, which has become a point of emphasis by Democrats running for president. While 50,000 permanently disabled veterans are eligible for relief under a decades-old debt forgiveness program, only half (25K) have qualified because of cumbersome requirements by the education and VA departments, according to the White House. (Source: NY Times 08/22/19)

Corvias mil.spouse scholarships

EAST GREENWICH, R.I. - Corvias Foundation, a private charitable foundation dedicated to increasing opportunities for military families, announced 20 recipients of its 2019 annual military spouse scholarships. The recipients, each a spouse of an active-duty service member, will receive a one-time scholarship of $5,000 to be put towards furthering their academic aspirations. “Since getting married to the military and having children, my family has been the driving force pushing me to reorient my life,” said Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., recipient, Aaron Eichstedt. “Becoming a registered nurse will keep me home with my family and give me more flexibility to move with my wife’s career.” This year’s military spouse recipients from Gulf Coast states: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. - LaToya Adams, a high-performing senior at Ashford University where she studies Early Childhood Education-Administration and Business Accounting. Her husband is a Staff Sergeant. They have two children. Adams works as an Educational Lead at the Eglin Child Development Center; Aaron Eichstedt is pursuing an associate’s degree in Nursing from Northwest Florida State College. Previously, he worked as a fisheries field biologist but was inspired by his family to pursue his studies to become an RN. His wife is a Senior Airman. They have two boys. Fort Polk, La. - Jennafer Wood, a member of the Army Reserves, is pursuing a master’s degree in Environmental Science from the Colorado State University’s Global Campus. She wants to pursue work at Fort Polk in NEPA compliance and further ensure that military operations and projects are completed in a manner that supports and benefits the surrounding environment. Her husband is a Staff Sergeant in the Army. Fort Rucker, Ala. - Kristen Cotton, whose husband is a Warrant Officer, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science/Information Technology at Western Governor’s University. She is pursuing IT because she knows it will fit with her mobile military spouse lifestyle and for the challenges and professional growth the field has to offer; Megan Green will enter the new school year as a senior to finisher her bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Troy University. Her husband is an E-8 and will soon be retiring; Chynna Krustchinsky is attending Lamar University to pursue a Doctorate in Audiology so that she can work in a clinical setting with military and veteran patients. Her husband is a Warrant Officer; LeeAnn Mertens will attend the University of Nebraska this dall as a senior to earn her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. Her husband is a Warrant Officer who is pursuing his goal of graduating from flight school at Fort Rucker. Since 2006, the Corvias Foundation has awarded more than 430 scholarships (nearly $9M) to military children, spouses, and children of Corvias employees across 13 Army and Air Force installations - a private DoD contractor providing military housing management, including Hurlburt Field, Fla.. (Source: Corvias Foundation 08/22/19)

VA pathologist indicated in 3 deaths

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Federal prosecutors charged a former Veterans Affairs pathologist Aug. 20 with the deaths of three veterans and a scheme to cover up years of drug and alcohol use on the job that caused him to misread thousands of fluid and tissue samples of ill and non-ill patients. Robert Morris Levy was indicted on three counts of involuntary manslaughter and 28 counts of mail fraud, wire fraud and false statements to officials. The Department of Veterans Affairs has told members of Congress and investigators that Levy’s misdiagnoses, which amounted to more than 3,000 cases, were responsible for at least 15 deaths. During his dozen years as chief pathologist at the Fayetteville VA hospital, and leadership roles on multiple oversight boards and medical committees, Levy read nearly 34,000 pa­thol­ogy slides of some 24,000 veterans, but his alcohol addiction, and attempts to cover up alleged mistakes, amounted to dangerous practices even after the VA paid for a lengthy impaired physicians treatment program in Mississippi in 2016. The unsealed charges mark a rare criminal case against a any physician in a profession where alleged negligence are most often addressed in civil court through malpractice claims. VA officials called Levy’s alleged misdeeds isolated. But it’s already prompting questions of oversight from investigators, veterans groups and Congress for the nation’s largest medical system - a network of 1,200 hospitals and smaller clinics that serve nine million veterans annually. To avoid detection of alcohol abuse, Levy took 2-methyl-2-butanol (2M2B) to mask the alcohol level in his blood. The substance, not approved for individual use, cannot be detected in routine tests for drugs and alcohol. It can be lethal if too much is taken, said Duane Kees, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Arkansas. The masking intentionally misled the Mississippi state medical license board into believing he was clean, the indictment said. Prosecutors described a sinister disregard for veterans’ lives as Levy knowingly entered false diagnoses for three veterans whose biopsies he read, one in 2009 and two in 2014, allegedly led to their deaths. One patient was wrongly diagnosed and prescribed wrong treatment and died in months. Another patient died of squamous cell carcinoma after Levy entered a wrong diagnosis. The third received a benign test result for prostate cancer and as a result was not treated, and died in 2016. In two of the cases, Levy falsified records. VA fired Levy last year after an arrest for DUI. The termination followed a tumultuous tenure during which his colleagues in the pa­thol­ogy lab complained they witnessed erratic behavior from him while on the job. Their complaints went unheeded, the indictment alleges. Trial date is set for Oct. 7. Levy was returned to the county jail in Fayetteville. (Source: Washington Post 08/20/19)

AHI delivers 200th Lakota to Army

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. – Airbus Helicopters Inc. (AHI) of Columbus, Miss., has built more than 550 aircraft for the U.S. government since 2006. On Aug. 19, AHI delivered its 200th UH-72A Lakota to the Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Ala., for initial helo pilot training. AHI VP Mike Spears said the delivery was a major achievement. “We started from scratch and now we’re up to 200” in support of the Army and defense of the nation. The UH-72A comes with all bells and whistles, according to program manager Mike Arrington. “The great thing about it is it’s versatility,” he continued. Spears added that the Lakota allows pilots to transition to more advanced helicopters with less time and effort. AHI also builds UH-72s for the National Guard. (Source: WCBI 08/19/19)

Demo teams’ aerial parade Aug. 22

The Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration team will join a group of Air Force and British aviators in an Aug. 22 aerial parade over the Hudson River in New York City. The Blues’ six F/A-18s will join the AF’s Thunderbirds F-16s, and nine Royal Air Force Red Arrows’ Hawk T1s for the event. The parade was made possible by a stroke of scheduling. The three teams are all conducting flight shows in the New York area on Aug. 24-25. The aircraft will follow the river to Liberty Island before returning back up the river. The Thunderbirds will then return to Rochester International Airport, with the other aircraft flying to Stewart Airport. The NW Florida-based Blue Angels’ air show is at New Windsor, N.Y. (Source: AF Magazine 08/20/19)

Start-up boat builder for Amory

Start-up boat manufacturer Avid Boats is locating a new production facility in Amory, Miss. The project is a $1.6M corporate investment that will create 75 jobs. Avid Boats’ leadership was previously involved in two successful boat manufacturing companies before starting AB. The company is locating in the 80,000-square-foot facility formerly occupied by CPI Packaging Inc., where employees will produce 17-to 23-foot aluminum bass and center console bay boats in North Mississippi. Amory is located about 25 miles SSE of Tupelo, Miss. (Source: WCBI 08/20/19)

Pilots ‘dropping like flies’

WASHINGTON - Former Air Force and Navy fighter pilots are calling on the military to begin early cancer screenings for aviators due to information from studies of a nearly 16 percent increase in deaths from the disease they suspect may be tied to radiation emitted from within the cockpit. “We are dropping like flies in our 50s from aggressive cancers,” retired Air Force Col. Eric Nelson, a former F-15E Strike Eagle weapons officer, told Tribune News Service. He cited prostate and esophageal cancers, lymphoma, and glioblastomas that have hit pilots he’s known, commanded or flew with. Nelson’s prostate cancer was detected at age 48, just three months after retirement. Over his career he’s accumulate more than 2,600 flying hours. In July, McClatchy newspapers reported on an AF study that reviewed the risk for prostate cancers among fighter pilots and new Veterans Health Administration data showing the rate of reported cases of prostate cancers annually among veterans using the VA health care system has risen almost 16 percent since FY 2000. The AF study also looked at cockpit exposure and found that “pilots have greater environmental exposure to ultraviolet and ionizing radiation … (and they also) have unique intra-cockpit exposures to non-ionizing radiation.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that exposure to some types of radiation can cause cancer, however to date there has been no link established between the specific radiation emitted from radars on these advanced jets and the illnesses pilots are now seeing. What frustrates some pilots is that the government has looked into the connection between military service and cancer rates for years, with mixed results. A 2009 study looked at cancer rates among service members from 1990-2004 and reported that “prostate cancer rates in the military were twice those in the general population, and breast cancer rates were 20% to 40% higher.” But a 2011 study found no significant difference in prostate cancer rates between pilots and non-pilots in the military. None of the pilots who spoke with McClatchy said a greater risk of cancer would have kept them from flying. They said the military should acknowledge the risk and put additional protections in place for the next generation of aviators. It’s unlikely the services would retrofit aircraft to add protections against the sources of cockpit radiation, which may be difficult to isolate. “If we can’t change it, we need to be responsible and send an alert that people being exposed need to be screened earlier,” Crosby said. “If it’s caught early enough, there’s a lot of procedures that cannot just treat (prostate cancer) but cure it.” (Source: Tribune News Service 08/18/19)

MSU senior experiences history

Mississippi State University-Meridian history major Kayla Jordan of Sweet Water, Ala., learned that studying history is more than academics. It’s a way of life. Jordan recently joined 17 other college students from around the U.S. for a nine-day travel experience of a lifetime to the National WWII Museum’s Normandy Academy in New Orleans, and across the Atlantic to France and a tour of Normandy at Pegasus Bridge, where the first shots of the D-Day invasion were fired by British troops minutes after midnight on June 6. “War is more than battles and skirmishes,” she told the Meridian Star. “It becomes personal when you see how it affects those living in the towns and villages decimated by bombs and overrun with soldiers. But history isn’t one sided, it’s multi-faceted. One of the things I most enjoyed about this trip was how well-rounded it was. We didn’t just see and learn about the Allies but also gained some perspective from the German side.” No trip to Normandy would be complete without exploring Pointe du Hoc, a prominent position along the coast of Normandy that was a focal point of the amphibious assault by U.S. forces during the early morning hours of D-Day. The cliff top is located between Utah and Omaha beaches and sits atop overhanging cliffs up to 100 feet high. The site was meaningful to Jordan because her family believes this was the general location her great-grandfather, Noah Raymond Vick, may have traversed during the war. Vick was a TEC 4 and drove a two-and-a-half ton truck onto the beaches on June 7. Through additional research, Jordan was able to determine that her great- grandfather likely came onto Omaha Beach at the Easy Red sector, further away from the severe fighting, where the sand was more compacted and could support large vehicles. “It was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had,” Jordan said. “I felt as if (her great-grandfather) was really there with me, and I thanked him for having been there 75 years ago. He truly is my hero, and I can only hope he would be proud of me.” (Source: Meridian Star 08/16/19) Sweet Water, Ala., is about 59 miles southeast of Meridian.

Bolsters international relationships

COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. – Training personnel at Columbus Air Force Base create the next generation of AF aviators, but they also bolster international relationships by training partner-nation pilots. The journeys of international students in AF pilot training can be challenging - language barriers, different perspectives and comprehensions only to name a few. The International Military Student Officers provide support and assistance to students during training. Capt. Christy Martin, 14th Student Squadron’s primary IMSO and Maj. Dave Cote, 41st Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot is the secondary IMSO. Together, they take on the administrative hurdles and help ease the workload of the international students in pilot training. IMSOs handle student documents such as renewing passports and visas, updating orders, living allowance payments processed for each officer and all other administrative duties. At CAFB, there are 63 international students from 23 countries going through pilot training. First Lt. Sanni Kafayat, a student-pilot from Nigeria who recently completed pilot training, has been flying the T-6 Texan II and wants to fly fighter aircraft when she returns home. She was chosen by officials to train in the U.S., and is one of five Nigerian women pilots, and the only fighter pilot among them. “This is a very rare opportunity that I did not want to miss,” she said. IMSOs also work closely with organizations that track students’ progression, including the Air Force Security and Assistance Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph in Texas, and their international country managers. IMSOs monitor student training progress and address any concerns or administrative challenges during the student’s time in pilot training, like identifications to establish proof of residency and to ensure their health and well-being. “Things we take for granted … can be a challenge and often take a bit more time to accomplish for our international students,” Cote said. One major focus of a student’s time is to promote cultural and informational exchanges that develop mutual cooperation and understanding between the Air Force and those partner nations’ air forces. A huge obstacle for these students are the fear of failing that can weigh them down for long periods of time; being homesick and having flight commanders help them pull through. “As a military, we cannot be everywhere all the time,” Cote said, “but, we can have relationships everywhere and all the time.” These connections and relationships created today in CAFB flight rooms and pilot training may lead to future positive endeavors. (Source: 14th Flying Training Squadron 08/14/19)

$2M EPA grant for Lafayette airport

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced Aug. 12 that the department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2M grant to the Lafayette (La.) Airport Commission to help construct and rehabilitate parking facilities at the Lafayette Regional Airport. The grant is to be matched with $3.38M of local investments, and expected to create 82 jobs. “Revitalizing America’s infrastructure is a critical priority for the Trump Administration,” said Ross. “As Lafayette Regional Airport builds its new passenger terminal, the Department of Commerce applauds the local leadership that will help make the project a success.”
The awards are "another hard-fought investment for the new terminal project at Lafayette Regional,” said U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins. Funding will support the rehabilitation and construction of parking lots needed to serve the airport’s new passenger terminal building. This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Acadiana Planning Commission. (Source: Department of Commerce 08/12/19)

Miss., Fla. EPA cooperative awards

DALLAS – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the awarding of seven Gulf of Mexico Division cooperative agreements totaling more than $7.5M to fund projects that improve water quality, habitat, and environmental education in the Gulf of Mexico watershed. 2019 Water Quality Cooperative Agreement Recipients include B.F. Smith Foundation of Stoneville, Miss.: $1,149,813 for Farming Systems Research; Mississippi State University: $1,088,025 for Multi-State Collaboration to Improve Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico water quality through farmer-led initiatives and farmer-driven data; Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies if Flora, Miss.: $1M for targeted restoration of natural resources though innovative technology, public partnerships and farmer cooperation in the Chipola River Basin – the largest tributary of the Apalachicola River. The basin covers more than 19,000 square miles within Alabama, Georgia and Florida, stretching from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the coastal marshes of Apalachicola Bay, Fla., and the Gulf of Mexico; Winrock International of Little Rock, Ark., Practical Farmers of Iowa, University of Iowa, and the Iowa Dept. of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. “This investment represents another way EPA is improving coastal resilience and protecting the Gulf of Mexico,” said Regional Administrator Ken McQueen. “These Farmer to Farmer projects will help prioritize resources and restore the Gulf.” The Clean Water Act provides authority/resources to protect water quality in the Gulf of Mexico and the larger Mississippi River Basin. EPA’s regional offices and the Gulf of Mexico Division work with states to continue to maximize the efficiency and utility of water quality monitoring efforts in the Gulf region. The GoM division facilitates collaborative actions to protect, maintain, and restore the health and productivity of the Gulf of Mexico; and partners with state and federal agencies, federally recognized tribes, local governments and academia. (Source: EPA Region 6 08/14/19)

Funds talk: Tyndall may grow larger

Tyndall Air Force Base officials sent a list of rebuild projects to Congress on Aug. 5 designed to tackle Panama City, Fla., facilities destroyed by Hurricane Michael in October, Col. Brian Laidlaw, 325th Fighter Wing’s commander, told a Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship hearing in NW Florida on Aug. 14. Rebuilding about 50 percent of damaged buildings is estimated to cost about $3B over seven years, he told the committee, which included U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott (both R-Fla). Air Force Magazine reported in April that new military construction (MILCON) at Tyndall would likely cost about $2.5B - about half of total restoration. The base plans to spend about $650M more on recovery and repair contracts by Sept. 30, the end of FY 2019, Laidlaw said. He expects the base will execute more than $1B in contracts for supplies, repairs, utilities, and other base services for the entirety of FY-19, not including MILCON. With $1B in supplemental funding for MILCON (and $670M for operations/maintenance expenses at Tyndall and Offutt AFB, Neb.), the base had to prioritize projects that left some “on hold for a while,” he told Sen. Rubio. Recovery contracts are split into two categories: Salvageable buildings and total rebuilds. Seventy-three percent of military and civilian personnel are back at Tyndall – 85 percent counting airmen working at nearby Eglin AFB, Fla. With the exception of our F-22 and T-38 flying operations, much of which is at nearby Eglin AFB, and its Non-Commissioned Officer Academy (standing up in 2020), Tyndall has “fully resumed all of our missions,” he said. Recently repaired facilities include an air traffic control tower, 1st Air Force HQ, and the Air Battle Manager schoolhouse. The Air Force is studying the environmental impact of putting three F-35A squadrons and a new MQ-9 wing at Tyndall. The F-35A squadrons are tentatively scheduled to arrive in Fall 2023. That will drive a certain minimum number of MILCON projects needed to “prioritize with the funding that we do get,” Laidlaw said. Tyndall likely will add up to 1,800 more personnel to staff both programs – if formally approved, he said. Future staffing levels are “still under consideration,” but the two platforms will grow the base “larger than it was before the hurricane.” After recently consulting with a range of stakeholders, Tyndall is scheduled to hold a third “Industry Day” on Sept. 12 in Panama City to discuss reconstruction. (Source: AF Magazine 08/14/19)

NMOTC boss relieved of duty

The commanding officer of the Pensacola, Fla.-based Navy Medicine Operational Training Center (NMOTC), Capt. Theron Toole, was removed from command Aug. 13 for loss of confidence in his ability to lead by Rear Adm. Tina Davidson, head of Navy Medicine Education, Training and Logistics Command. The relief was not prompted by an investigation, says Angela Steadman, a spokesperson for the Navy’s Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. "It was Rear Adm. Davidson's recommendation based on working with him," Steadman says. Toole was temporarily reassigned to NMETLC. Capt. Tim Richardson, deputy commander of NMETLC, is serving as the NMOTC's interim leader. No additional details about the relief were immediately available. Toole had served as commanding officer since July 2018. (Source: Military.com 08/13/19) NMOTC supports Navy Medicine’s life-saving mission by training medical professionals for theater-specific contingencies. NMOTC oversees six detachments and 12 training centers at 60+ facilities across the U.S. More than 600 personnel support some 65 instructional programs within aviation, surface and undersea warfare, expeditionary forces, and special operations; and supporting readiness for all of the military services and allies globally. It is also home to the Robert E. Mitchell Center for Prisoner of War Studies. Navy Capt. Michael Kohler, a prior enlisted corpsman and Navy Nurse Corps officer, is the current executive officer at NMOTC. He has been officer in charge of multiple NH Pensacola branch health clinics at NASP, Whiting Field and NAS/JRB New Orleans.

VRSG integrated into AF trainer

MetaVR's Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG) has been integrated into the Air Force’s T-1A Jayhawk twin-engine jet trainers, part of an embedded training device being used to provide a simulated mixed reality electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) training capability for the aircraft. Combat Systems Officer (CSO) training station (CSOTS) at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Fla., has purchased 49 MetaVR VRSG licenses, which will be installed on 21 T-1A Jayhawks. VRSG forms part of the T-1A Combat System Officers Training System (CSOTS) embedded training device in the aircraft, which is used to train students in the operation of EO/IR sensors. The system generates visuals for the system resulting in a mixed reality training experience for trainees and combining simulated and live environments. In-flight EO/IR training is carried out using a generic simulated sensor model. A total of 15 flight paths between North Carolina and Louisiana can be flown during training exercises. The system is integrated with a third party computer-generated/semi-automated forces application that allows trainees to see a replicated target inserted into the simulated view from MetaVR's model libraries. ‘The major benefit here is that the students obtain maximum training value by flying a real platform and benefitting from having a sensor view that correlates to their actual geographic location,” said Garth Smith, president of MetaVR. Sensor simulation helps reduce overall training costs to AF by providing an alternative to more expensive EO/IR sensors; and two VRSG licenses are installed on each of the 21 aircraft. One is used to display content in front with a co-pilot. The other is used for the student situated behind them. The T-1A’s CSOTS is the first course of 18 months of training. Afterwards, students go to electronic warfare classroom training on the T25 Simulator for Electronic Combat Training - a classified system that uses VRSG, and followed by training on the T-6A Texan II trainer aircraft. (Source: Shepherd Media 08/14/19)

River Commission public meetings

The Mississippi River Commission will conduct its annual low-water inspection trip on the Mississippi River, from Aug. 19-23 and hold four public meetings (from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) aboard the towboat Mississippi in Caruthersville, Mo.; Helena, Ark.; Vicksburg, Miss.; and Baton Rouge, La. Commission members will meet with local partners, stakeholders and residents to hear their concerns, ideas and issues. Interested parties are invited to present their views on matters affecting the water resources infrastructure needs in the valley, including flood control, the Mississippi River and Tributaries project, and other water resources challenges. (Source: Work Boat 08/13/19)

New sUAS tech courses at MSU

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Two new Mississippi State University courses in small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) technology are preparing a new generation of drone pilots. As a hub for precision agriculture training, MSU is offering the courses in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to help pilots pass the certification required by the Federal Aviation Administration to fly unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAVs) commercially. Amelia Fox, assistant clinical professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, teaches the two split-level courses - Ag Flight Technologies I & II. While the courses are centered on how would-be pilots can pass the FAA Remote Pilot certificate exam, there also is hands-on flight instruction and the opportunity for students to operate different types of unmanned aircraft. Students also may enroll in Fox’s Ag Remote Sensing courses to learn how to manage and present data collected from unmanned drones. America hasn’t been able to meet the workforce demand for pilots. Of the 150 aeronautical post-secondary schools in the U.S. today, each would have to graduate about 500 FAA-certified pilots a year to meet the workforce demand by 2022. (Source: MSU 08/13/19)

Ex-NHP DFA passes MSC torch

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – On the eve of the Navy Medical Service Corps’ (MSC) 72nd birthday, Rear Adm. Timothy Weber became its 19th director and assuming the role from Rear Adm. Anne Swap, commander of Navy Medicine East, on Aug. 9. The MSC is Navy Medicine’s most diverse corps, comprising a multi-disciplinary team of naval officers in 31 different specialties, including scientists, clinical care providers, psychologists, and health care administrators. “It has been an honor and joy” to service as director for the past three years, said Swap. “Taking the lead on this community was the most rewarding job I have ever had,” the former dual-hatted Director For Administration at Naval Hospital Pensacola, Fla., and executive officer of Fleet Hospital Pensacola. Weber, a native of Holland, Mich., most recently served as Navy Medicine West’s chief of staff. On Aug. 16, Weber will assume command of NMW. (Source: Navy Medicine West 08/08/19) NH Pensacola oversees branch medical clinics at NAS Meridian and NCTC Gulfport, Miss.; Belle Chasse, La.; Millington, Tenn.; Pensacola (3); Whiting Field and Panama City, Fla.

$587M in natural disaster grants

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced Aug. 13 that the department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) has published the FY 2019 Disaster Supplemental Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), and making $587M available to eligible grantees in communities impacted by presidentially-declared natural disasters in 2018, and floods and tornadoes of 2019. The administration and DoC “understand the challenges faced by American cities and towns devastated by recent natural disasters and are committed to helping them recover,” said Ross. “The funding … will help ensure that communities impacted by disaster can rebuild and fuel growth for the future.” EDA disaster grants are made by its Regional Offices under the agency’s Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) program, which enables EDA to make awards that support a wide range of construction and non-construction activities sudden and prolonged severe economic dislocation.The submission of applications should be based on long-term, regionally-oriented, and collaborative development strategies that foster economic growth and resilience. (Source: Economic Development Administration 08/13/19). The four Gulf Coast states fall under two separate regions. Louisiana falls under the auspices of the Austin (Texas) Region. Alabama, Florida and Mississippi are part of the Atlanta Region.

Armed Forces softball live at NASP

PENSACOLA, Fla. - Sailors, soldiers, airmen, Marines and coast guardsmen from around the world have converged on Naval Air Station to participate in the 2019 Armed Forces Softball Championships, which begins Aug. 13, and runs through Aug. 17. Two NASP-area sailors - Chief Aircrew Survival Equipmentman Brandon Sterns from the Naval Survival Training Institute (NSTI), a component of the Navy Medicine Operational Training Center (NMOTC), and Lt. j.g. Monica Shifflet, attached to Training Squadron 86 – were selected for the All-Navy Team and will be gunning for Armed Forces gold. The All-Navy men’s team has high hopes this round after a heartbreaking defeat in the gold-medal game in 2018. The women’s team is feeling pretty confident, too, but has only six veterans, says All-Navy Women’s Head Coach, Operations Specialist 2nd Class Olivia Arellano of USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) in San Diego. Each team will play nine games. The number of players from each team that get to go on to represent the military as a whole for the All-Armed Forces Team depends on where they finish in the tournament. Sterns said he saw thousands of people watching the 2018 games via Facebook Live. The games will again be on a Facebook Live stream at: https://www.facebook.com/mwrpensacola/. Pensacola Morale, Welfare and Recreation has hosted the All-Navy Men’s and Women’s Softball Team for tryouts and training camp for 25 years. After this year, the All-Armed Forces Championship will be headed to a different service base. The Navy will not host it again until 2026. The games are to be played on Barrancas Field aboard NASP. (Source: NAS Pensacola 08/12/19)

Returning home to lead NETSAFA

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Navy Capt. David W. Stallworth relieved Capt. Mark Truluck as commanding officer of Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity (NETSAFA) during a change of command ceremony Aug. 9 at Naval Air Station Pensacola. During Truluck’s tenure, he reshaped the constantly changing international education and training landscape. Under his leadership, NETSAFA supported the training of 25,000 international students from more than 160 countries. Following the ceremony, Truluck retired with more than 30 years of service, and holds a master's degree in public administration from Auburn University. Stallworth became the 15th commanding officer at NETSAFA. Stallworth is a native of Summerdale, Ala., located only 35 miles west of NAS Pensacola. He graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a master’s degree in education. Stallworth was commissioned through Officer Candidate School at NAS Pensacola and, after completing primary flight training, was designated a naval aviator in 1997. Among some of his follow-on tours was with Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, Fla.’s, Test and Evaluation Aviation Unit officer in charge and later as executive officer. He comes back to Pensacola from duty as operations officer of Carrier Strike Group 2. NETSAFA is the Navy's agent for international education and training, coordinating training support to international governments and international organizations. As a field activity of the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) flag HQs in Pensacola, the command serves as a focal point for all security assistance training program issues, coordination and advice within the Navy. (Source: NETSAFA 08/09/19)

Feds finalize species act changes

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service announced Aug. 12 finalized changes to provisions of the U.S. Endangered Species Act that the federal government says will streamline the decades-old wildlife protection law. However, conservation groups denounced the decision saying it will threaten at-risk species. The 1970s-era ESA has been credited with bringing back nearly extinct species such as bald eagles, gray whales and grizzly bears, but the law has been frustration for drillers, miners and other industries because new listings can put vast swaths of land off limits to development. The roll back decision has been seen as advantage for oil, gas and coal production, and grazing and logging on federal lands. The changes end the same automatic protections for threatened species that it provides to endangered species. The original act protected species regardless of economics. The finalized revisions “fit squarely within the President’s mandate of easing the regulatory burden on the American public, without sacrificing our species’ protection and recovery goals," U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said in a statement. These changes “crash a bulldozer” through the act’s protections of America's “most vulnerable wildlife," Noah Greenwald, the Center for Biological Diversity's endangered species director, said in a statement. Conservationists and environmentalists said they would challenge the revised law in court. (Source: Reuters 08/12/19)

Keesler powers up with innovation

KEESLER AFB, Miss. - Keesler Air Force Base’s commissary parking lot was the site of an Aug. 8 ceremony to introduce a solar voltaic power array project with NORESCO United Technologies. More than 490 solar panels are scheduled to be built on the exchange and parking areas to collect energy from sunlight. The project was initiated by the Keesler Infrastructure Support Division to create a more efficient way of using energy. It is scheduled to be operational in May 2021. Col. Marcia Quigley, 81st Mission Support Group’s commander, said the project will generate 1.5 megawatts to provide long-term efficiency costs across the base. It will be important for dealing with storms, being cleaner and reducing utility costs,” she continued. The project will assist Keesler to reduce energy consumption by 16 percent per year, and saving the Air Force about $2M. (Source: Keesler AFB 08/09/19)

Forrest gets 45% of Navy contract

Raytheon Co. of Goleta, Calif., is awarded $29,790,677 for modification (PZ0001) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-18-C-1055). This modification provides for Lot 14 full-rate production of 82 F/A18 CD-108B/ALE-50(V) Control, Dispenser, Decoy, Countermeasures Integrated Multi-platform Launch Controllers. Work will be performed in Forrest, Miss. (45%); Andover, Mass. (25); Goleta (20); and various locations within the continental U.S. (10), and is expected to be completed in February 2022. FY 2017 and 2019 Navy aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $29,790,677 will be obligated at time of award - $26,850,000 of which will expire at the end Sept. 30. Naval Air Systems Command of Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 08/08/19)

VT-2 aerial change of command

NAS WHITING FIELD, Fla. - Coast Guard Capt. Mark Jackson will relinquish command of Training Squadron Two (VT-2) to Navy Cmdr. Wes Barnes on Aug. 9 in an aerial change of command onboard Naval Air Station Whiting Field. The two captains will change command in the air over the radio with each flying a T-6 trainer aircraft. Training Air Wing 5 deputy commodore Col. Jeffrey M. Pavelko will act as the senior reporting official. Once they land, a completion of the ceremony will occur inside a hangar on base. Barnes is currently executive officer of the squadron. VT-2 is one of three fixed-wing squadrons at NASWF that trains prospective pilots in primary aviation, whereupon successful completion, aviators receive their follow on aircraft assignments. Follow-on jet training is conducted at NAS Meridian, Miss. Whiting Field supports about 60 percent of all primary fixed-wing flight training, and 100 percent of all initial helicopter training for the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps. (NASWF media advisory 08/08/19)

No-see bombers inspire Eglin units

EGLIN AFB, Fla. - While conducting operational test sorties over the Gulf of Mexico, members of the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron from Dyess AFB in Texas and the 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron from Barksdale (La.) AFB brought a B-1B Lancer and B-52 Stratofortress, respectively, to Eglin Air Force Base on July 30. Due to 53rd Wing’s diverse and dispersed mission at Eglin, many airmen across the wing work on software and systems related to both aircraft, but have never interacted with plane or crew in person. Eglin’s 16th Electronic Warfare Squadron works with both aircraft. In the AF, there’s a focus on ensuring every airmen knows how to “fit into the larger mission and the purpose of what they do,” said Lt. Col. Robert Mathis, commander of the 16th EWS. “It’s a huge morale boost and definitely inspiring for my airmen to be able to see, touch and engage with the jets and aircrew they have spent years supporting.” 2nd Lt. Andrew Ervin, a B-1 Defensive Systems Engineer at Eglin, develops mission data files for the B-1, but prior to this tour, he had never seen one of the aircraft. “It’s easy to forget that the endless ocean of numbers we put into mission data actually are loaded onto a jet and sent into combat,” he exclaimed. “Getting to see and tour the platform my work goes into was an exciting opportunity and re-invigorated my professional drive at work.” Despite being an Air Combat Command wing, the 53rd Wing is responsible for the operational Wing testing, evaluating and optimizing, using electronic warfare, every bomber, fighter, remotely piloted aircraft in the Air Force. (Source: 53rd Wing 08/06/19)

106 C-130s cleared

SCOTT AFB, Ill. - Gen. Maryanne Miller, commander of the Air Mobility Command, ordered the temporary removal of 123 of 450 Total Force C-130 Hercules from service on Aug. 7 after atypical cracks were discovered on the lower center wing joint or “rainbow fitting” during programmed depot maintenance. In consultation with aircraft maintenance and engineering experts, Gen. Miller directed an immediate time compliance technical order (TCTO) inspection to identify and correct any cracking to ensure airworthiness of these C-130 aircraft. In accordance with the TCTO, in-depth visual and modified non-destructive inspections of the wing box will be conducted on affected C-130H and J-model aircraft that have not received the extended service life center wing box and have greater than 15,000 equivalent flight hours. If cracking is identified during the 8-hour inspections, a depot-level replacement of the rainbow fitting will be required. Aircraft that are inspected and determined to have no cracking will be immediately returned to service. The Air Force takes the safety of its Airmen and aircraft very seriously and is working diligently to identify and repair affected aircraft as soon as possible. At this time, it has been assessed that this temporary removal of service will not impact ongoing C-130 support to overseas contingency operations. (Source: Air Mobility Command 08/08/19) Gulf Coast Note: Though GC regional AF command C-130H/J aircraft were not specified as part of this TCTO inspection, there are commands in NW Florida and south Mississippi that fly variants of these aircraft. Mississippi: The combined eight C-130J-30 assigned to 815th Airlift Squadron and 10 WC-130J assigned to 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron ("Hurricane Hunters") make up more than 95 percent of Keesler AFB's total flying mission. Florida: The 413th Flight Test Squadron’s C-130 Combined Test Force became its own entity last September at Eglin AFB when it was designated as a detachment, encapsulating more than a decade’s worth of specialized developmental tests on the C-130 Hercules. As the AF’s hub for all C-130 acquisition developmental testing, the newly minted 96th Operations Group Det. 1 performs testing of everything from small aircraft parts and software to major weapons system acquisitions – nose to tail. The C-130 has been in production since 1954 and been modified countless times since. The amount of expertise needed to fly these different variants is vast. The Eglin detachment is called the face of C-130 developmental testing. Over at Hurlburt Field, the 15th Special Operations Squadron (15th SOS) is one of nine flying squadrons within the 1st Special Operations Wing. The squadron flies the MC-130H Combat Talon IIs. The 1st Special Operations Group Det. 2 - the newest flying unit within the 1st SOW - employs the AC-130J Ghostrider gunship. The detachment is tasked to support developmental and operational testing of the AC-130J. Neither the Navy nor Marine Corps have taken C-130s offline. Those services fly the C-130T, KC-130T and KC-130J versions of the aircraft. UPDATE 08/09/19: Two C-130 variants of the Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla., were inspected for unusual wing joint cracks and returned to service after no defects were discovered, an AFSOC spokeswoman said Aug. 9. The EC-130J Commando Solo, an information and psychological operations plane, and an AC-130W Stinger II gunship were the only two "spec ops" aircraft that required a closer look. UPDATE2: The AF has inspected, and cleared to fly again, most of the 123 C-130 Hercules that were grounded last week due to concerns about potential cracking in a crucial wing joint. Air Mobility Command has returned 74 C-130 variants to service as of Aug. 9. Just one of the grounded C-130s has been found to have a defect so far. It is not clear how long the remaining 48 C-130 variants might take to be inspected, since the pace depends on base capacity. The inspections take about eight hours. UPDATE3: AMC has inspected 107 of the 123 C-130s pulled from service earlier this month. One of 107 was discovered to have the “atypical cracks” on the wing joint. As of Aug. 16, 106 of inspected aircraft have returned to service. There is no specific timeline for when the entire fleet will return to service, though the inspection process, which began less than two weeks ago, has moved quickly. (Source: AF Magazine 08/19/19)

$400M VA grants include Ala. & La.

WASHINGTON - Thousands of low-income Veterans and their eligible family members will continue to have access to crucial homelessness services as a result of $426M in grants to be awarded under the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program. This funding includes $62M in new SSVF awards that support outreach, case management and other flexible assistance to rapidly re-house Veterans who become homeless or prevent Veterans from becoming homeless. The grants will be awarded to 271 non-profit organizations in all 50 states, including new grants in Alabama and Louisiana’s northern Gulf Coast regions. “Ending Veteran homelessness remains a high priority and (SSVF) has proven to be remarkably effective” temporary assistance for (Vets/families) to overcome housing crises,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. In addition to conducting outreach and case management, these non-profit grantees will assist with benefits that may include health care, financial planning, child care, legal, transportation, and housing counseling services. In FY 2018, SSVF grantees served 125,878 Vets and children. As a result of efforts, the number of homeless Vets has been cut by 50 percent since the 2010 launch of the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. The applicants to whom grants will be awarded competed under a Notice of Fund Availability published Dec. 19, 2018. The funding will support SSVF services for FY 2020, beginning Oct. 1. (Source: Department of Veterans Affairs 08/01/19) Grantees include: Housing First Inc. via Mobile City/County and Baldwin County (Ala.) Chambers of Commerce: $1.185M; Volunteers of America of Greater New Orleans via Lafayette/Acadiana Regional CoC; Shreveport, Bossier/Northwest Louisiana CoC; New Orleans/Jefferson Parish CoC; Monroe/Northeast Louisiana CoC; Slidell/Southeast Louisiana CoC; Alexandria/Central Louisiana CoC; Houma-Terrebonne, Thibodaux CoC; and Louisiana Balance of State CoC: $2.08M. No new funding for either Florida or Mississippi’s northern Gulf Coast regions.

First female Marine to fly F-35C

Marine 1st Lt. Catherine Stark earned her Wings of Gold as a Marine aviator at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas, on Aug. 2, and is now preparing to begin training with the fifth-generation F-35C Navy stealth fighter. She’s been in training since early 2016 after graduating from the Naval Academy in aerospace engineering. After officer school, she reported to NAS Pensacola, Fla., for initial flight training. After more than two years of training in the T-6B Texan II primary flight trainer and the T-45C Goshawk advanced training jet, she has been selected to be the first female Marine to fly the F-35C (Navy) variant. There are three variants of the F-35s: Air Force (A), Marines (B), and Navy (C). The Marines’ F-35B has short and vertical takeoff capabilities. The F-35C has greater range and stealth capabilities, and operates from aircraft carriers. Stark is scheduled to begin training with the “Rough Raiders” of VFA-125 Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) at NAS Lemoore, Calif. The FRS takes pilots who have recently completed training and transitions them to their assigned fleet aircraft. The “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 became the Navy’s first operational F-35C fleet squadron this year. The Marine Corps does not yet have an operational F-35C squadron, however Stark’s selection marks the beginning of that integration. (Source: CNATRA 08/02/19) Stark is the fourth of eight children in her Erie, Pa., family and among three in the military. Her brother, Lt. Joseph Stark, is a Naval Supply Systems Command logistics director for Seal Team 4, and Zofia Stark, who, like her sister, graduated from the Naval Academy in 2016, and is a first lieutenant in the Marines.

VP gives F-35A go-ahead to Tyndall

Vice President Mike Pence and Acting Air Force Secretary Matt Donovan both announced Aug. 6 through their Twitter accounts that the Air Force has completed its basing study and have given the go-ahead for F-35A Joint Strike Fighters to begin operation from Tyndall AFB, Fla., starting in 2023. The AF had said back in December that it was proposing to allow F-35s to fly at Tyndall after the base’s F-22 Raptor squadron left following an October 2018 “Cat 5” hurricane and damaging nearly all of its buildings. Tyndall officials are working on a plan to design a flexible installation that can welcome the F-35 as well as MQ-9 drones and possibly other aircraft without major modifications. (Source: Air Force Magazine 08/06/19)

OIG report on Biloxi VA patient care

Four behavioral health unit RNs at the Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System facility in Biloxi, Miss., did not fulfill their duties and responsibilities after finding an unresponsive patient in 2017 according to a VA inspector general report. The RNs did not act with a sense of urgency to perform timely CPR, locate and bring an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to the patient’s room, or activate an emergency response system as required by policy. The facility could not provide the IG team with basic life support (BLS) certification for two of the four nurses. Based on available facts, the OIG was unable to determine whether initiating full resuscitation would have been successful. The unit (25-A) nurse called the medical officer of the day to “pronounce a patient” deceased. The MOD documented a nurse had examined and deemed the patient dead. VHA policy states only medical doctors can pronounce a patient death while under the care of the VA. The behavioral health unit nursing staff did not document accurate and complete 15-minute patient observation checks. A behavioral health assessment treatment provider was not available when the patient presented to the emergency department. Emergency department providers did not document hand-off communication or with the behavioral health admission provider. The OIG reviewed facility leaders’ response to the event and found facility leaders removed the involved staff from patient care and completed a fact-finding review and Root Cause Analysis. Facility leaders did not pursue reporting staff to the state licensing boards and did not conduct an institutional disclosure. During the site visit in January 2018, the OIG found an expired tubing package on the behavioral health unit’s emergency cart although staff had signed the cart’s checklist verifying that there were no expired supplies. The designated facility committee did not review the resuscitation as the unit RNs did not complete the required cardiopulmonary arrest record. (Source: VA Inspector General 08/06/19)

Gulfport CRTC change of command

GULFPORT, Miss. – Colonel Joe Reid relinquished command of the Mississippi Air National Guard’s Combat Readiness Training Center in Gulfport to Lt. Col Berry McCormick. The incoming commander is an electrical engineering graduate of Mississippi State University. Prior to taking command, he had been CRTC’s director of support since September 2014. McCormick enlisted in the Mississippi Air National Guard in 1988 as a Search Scope Operator with the 255th Tactical Control Squadron at Gulfport. In May 2005, he assumed command of the 209th Civil Engineer Squadron at Gulfport. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2008 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom; and in November 2010, he transferred to the 253rd Air Support Squadron at Meridian, Miss., where he served as a director. In May 2013, McCormick deployed to the United Arab Emirates as commander of the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron. The CRTC hosts regular deployments of Air National Guard units, and offers offshore airspace that is fully instrumented (ACMI) for recording air-to-air engagements. Nearby Camp Shelby, Miss., features an air-to-ground range and sufficient low-altitude MOA airspace to provide realistic ground attack scenarios. Outgoing commander, Col. Reid was to take command of the 186th Air Refueling Wing in Meridian. He called it “going back to his home roots.” One of the duties of the 18th ARW is to perform maintenance on KC-135 refueling aircraft. (Source: WLOX 08/03/19) The CRTC has two Mississippi ANG tenants on base: 255th Air Control Squadron (ACS) and 209th Civil Engineering Squadron. The 209th began augmenting an Air Force "Silver Flag" Training Program at Tyndall AFB, Fla., in 2000. When activated for active-duty service, the 209th falls under the jurisdiction of the Air Force Special Operations Command, headquartered at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

McQueen to head EPA Region 6

DALLAS – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Aug. 5 the appointment of Ken McQueen of New Mexico to become regional administrator for EPA Region 6. McQueen will oversee environmental protection efforts in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas and in 66 Tribal Nations. (Source: EPA 08/05/19) EPA Region 4 covers the Gulf Coast states of Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi, plus Georgia, Kentucky, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and 6 Tribal Nations.

Buffett does ‘kindred spirit’ concert

NORFOLK - Sailors and Marines with the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), including its embarked units that recently returned from a 7-month deployment July 18 were treated to a rare shipboard performance Aug. 2 by legendary “Margaretville” music artist Jimmy Buffett. Buffett, who is in Virginia Beach for a concert, learned that the ship had recently returned from deployment and performed for the crew to show his appreciation for their sacrifice and service. “Welcome home,” said Buffett . “Both Kearsarge and I were born in Pascagoula, Miss., so I feel a kindred spirit to your wonderful ship.” (Source: USS Kearsarge 08/05/19) LHD-3 was launched March 26, 1992, in a ceremony attended by then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Colin Powell. The warship was christened May 16, 1992, and commissioned Oct. 16, 1993, from Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Pascagoula shipyard.

3 Airmen injured at Ohio shooting

Three active-duty airmen from Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, were treated for minor injuries while evacuating an area near a mass shooting that killed at least nine people and injured at least 27 in Dayton on Aug. 4, according to Col. Thomas Sherman, 88th Air Base Wing and Wright-Patterson base commander. No AF personnel were killed. "While we are profoundly grateful that none of our fellow airmen were seriously injured, the base and the entire community are heartbroken over this senseless taking of life," Sherman told Air Force Magazine through a spokesman. (Source: AF Magazine 08/02/19) The Air Force has not identified the airmen.

Barrett continues prep for hearings

Former chairman of The Aerospace Corporation Barbara Barrett's formal nomination to be Secretary Air Force remains held at the White House while officials finish the ethics paperwork required to send her nomination to the Senate, two sources tell Air Force Magazine. “They are in the final stages of completing all of the ethics paperwork,” a source close to Barrett said in an e-mail. “There are no showstoppers.” It takes time to unwind a nominee’s extensive business resume, a Senate aide said. President Donald Trump announced his intent to pick former deputy administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to lead the AF in May. She “looks forward to a confirmation hearing as early as … September,” the source close to the family said. (Source: AF Magazine 08/02/19)

More Mil.Dorm inspections coming

Dormitory inspections are coming to Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field, Fla., following the discovery of mold in 1,100 rooms most recently Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas. The two Florida bases will inspect dormitories for signs of mold, according to public information officials. The inspections come in the wake of massive mold problems in dormitories at SA-Lackland where photographs of moldy dorms surfaced on social media this past week, and a subsequent inspection found mold in more than 1,100 in Texas, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Hundreds of JBSA-Lackland personnel have been moved to hotels, according to The Associated Press. Eglin and Hurlburt are on an Air Force list of installations to be inspected and the base is determining how to address the newest inspection, Mike Spaits, of Eglin’s public affairs office, told the NW Florida Daily News. Base commanders and first sergeants are already required to do a monthly walk-through both Eglin and Hurlburt Field. Eglin dorm residents have been able to download a cell phone ‘app’ to report mold, he said, which sets up an automatically-generated work order. “(W)e have no reason to believe that there are life, health, or safety issues in our dormitories,” said 1st Lt. Steven Bodovinitz, officer in charge of media relations for the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt. However, a “cross-functional team of experts” will be inspecting all of the dorms within the next several weeks that will enable Hurlburt officials to identify potential mold issues or other deficiencies that “may impact” airmen’s quality of life. (Source: NW Florida Daily News 08/03/19) The dormitory issues are obviously separate from privatized military housing unit issues across Gulf Coast regional commands at the Army’s Fort Rucker, Ala., and Fort Polk, La.; and Air Force bases in Florida at Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field. Balfour Beatty manages regional base housing at NAS Meridian (Miss.), NAS Pensacola (Fla.), NAS Whiting Field (Fla.), NCBC Gulfport (Miss.), NSA Panama City (Fla.). The Hunt Companies have initiated a ‘Moisture Remediation Plan,’ to be overseen by the 81st Medical Support Group, at Keesler AFB privatized base housing. There are 1,188 residential housing units for Keesler - three in Biloxi and one in Gautier, Miss.

DoD surveillance balloons over US

Americans know they're being watched by cell phones and smart home devices, but there may be a new privacy threat just above your head: Video-outfitted mass-surveillance balloons to capture every moving object across a 25-mile swatch beneath it from 65,000 feet. These experimental devices are being tested, from mid-July through Sept. 1, above six Midwest states – South Dakota, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri – as part of a Defense Department program temporarily authorized by the Federal Communications Commission for the Sierra Nevada Corp., an aerospace and defense company. The project involves as many as 25 solar-powered balloons, according to a report in The Guardian newspaper in the U.K. The technology is meant to “provide a persistent surveillance system to locate and deter narcotic trafficking and homeland security threats,” according to the FCC filing. Experts are now cautioning that all kinds of data are likely being collected, Jay Stanley, an analyst with the American Civil Liberties Union, told The Guardian. (The FCC’s “Special Temporary Authorization” was granted upon the express condition that it may be terminated by the commission at any time without advance notice.) The U.S. Southern Command commissioned the test, though the end goals are unclear. SOUTHCOM’s HQ is in south Florida, and includes resources from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and other agencies. Among the command’s missions are tracking and blocking drug shipments heading to the U.S., and protecting the Panama Canal. SOUTHCOM has been using light aircraft to conduct surveillance, but these balloons would be less expensive alternative: Hovering for months without a flight crew. The balloons appear to be carrying “satellite-like vehicles housing sophisticated sensors and communication gear,” the Guardian reported from FCC documents, making them able to share data with themselves and ground receivers. One of the sensors “is a synthetic aperture radar intended to detect every car or boat in motion” within a 25-mile swath beneath it, and because it’s recording, it allows users to travel back in time to re-watch an event (and) who was involved, and where they came from, according to Arthur Holland Michel, co-director of the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College in New York. The recording ability has led to the system’s nickname of “combat TiVo,” he said. The aerial camera system is called the Gorgon Stare, made by Sierra Nevada, and owned by the Air Force. Its invention was literally inspired by the 1998 sci-fi film Enemy of the State. Gorgon Stare is named for the Greek figures whose gaze could turn a person into stone, and used by the AF, though exactly where or how is classified. It’s unclear where the data is being stored or going, says ACLU’s Stanley, but it’s time to be cautious: “We should not go down the road of allowing this to be used in the United States … (and) being carried out, by the military no less.” (Source: The Guardian 08/03/19)

SeaGrant grads fellowship finalists

Three graduate students from Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium member universities have been named finalists for the competitive 2020 Sea Grant John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship. Leanne Poussard of the University of Southern Mississippi, Christine Bassett of the University of Alabama, and Aaron Macy of University of South Alabama will interview in the fall in Washington, D.C., with potential host agencies and offices in the legislative and executive branches of government. The interviews will determine where they will be placed during their fellowship year, which begins in February. As Sea Grant Knauss Fellows, they will actively transfer science to policy and management through their appointments with federal government offices. Poussard is a graduate student and research assistant studying coastal sciences at USM’s Gulf Coast Research Lab. She is using mathematical modeling to measure efficiency of National Marine Fisheries Service shellfish survey gear. Bassett is a Ph.D. candidate studying geological sciences at UA. Her research uses geochemistry to examine geologically-recent ocean conditions and climate changes in the Pacific to better understand the current ocean and climate conditions and events. Macy, a Ph.D. candidate in marine science at USA and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, is also an extension program associate at Mississippi State University. His dissertation investigates impacts on ecosystem services as marshes transition to black mangroves in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, and engaging high schools in wetlands stewardship. (Source: Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium 07/26/19)

200 new Americans’ dream

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Nearly 200 new American citizens recited, “I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America…,” at a naturalization ceremony Aug. 1 at the National Naval Aviation Museum aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. The museum’s atrium was converted into a courtroom for the ceremony that included four judges from U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Florida. For the participants, coming from 58 countries, their dreams of becoming a citizen was realized. The new citizens navigated the naturalization process and now share the common bond of being an American. “Your representation as an American citizen is not based on race or where you came from,” said Judge Hope T. Cannon, whose family moved from Vietnam to the United States when she was a young child. “We are all Americans.” More than 7.4M naturalized citizens were welcomed into the country over the past decade, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. (Source: NAS Pensacola 08/01/19)

KAFB housing meetings ‘positive’

BILOXI, Miss. - Keesler Air Force Base (KAFB) and its private-housing base contractor Hunt Companies are making progress on solving problems residents have experienced, according to officials at a pair of town-hall like meetings with base residents this week. The meetings come after the release of military family surveys following a 2018 U.S. Senate committee hearing that included testimony from Crystal Cornwall, a former resident at Keesler AFB and a 2017 lawsuit filed against Hunt Companies, the contractor that manages Keesler housing. Cornwall went on to found the non-profit Safe Military Housing Initiative. Col. Paul Fidler, deputy commander of the 81st Mission Support Group (81st MSG), said there were “very high emotions” at meetings on the issue, but showed positive change. “I think that process is starting to take effect, and our goal with all of that is (A) we resolved their issues in a very timely manner, and (B), we start to rebuild that trust,” he told WLOX. There was a great deal of “poor communication” among the players in base housing, from the residents, command and contractor, which led to problems that centered on recurring mold issues; and that residents claimed that Hunt was not correcting. Hunt has initiated a ‘Moisture Remediation Plan’ being overseen by the 81st MSG. There are 1,188 residential housing units for Keesler - three in Biloxi and one in Gautier. Fidler is hoping the survey results and meetings will help solve all housing issues, not just mold. (Source: WLOX 08/01/19)

AF pilots first to rate in AW-139

Test pilots from the Duke Field, Fla.-based 413th Flight Test Squadron became the first Air Force pilots to receive a Type rating on the AW-139 helicopter on July 29. Majors Zach Roycroft and Tony Arrington completed the five-week contracted course in New Jersey on the civilian counterpart to the AF’s new MH-139 helicopter. The aircraft is to replace the UH-1N Huey. “This puts our team one step closer to flight testing the new aircraft when production is completed,” said Roycroft, lead test pilot for the squadron. A Type rating is an FAA qualification for a specific aircraft. As test pilots were training, the 413th FLTS and Air Force Global Strike Command airmen were completing the maintenance technician course on the aircraft. Those Airmen are also being trained on the aircraft’s unique systems. The MH-139 delivery marks the first, in recent history, that the AF will receive a rotary wing asset not previously used by another branch of the military. The AF plans to purchase 84 MH-139 helicopters over the next decade. The first aircraft delivery to Duke Field - the 413th FLTS is scheduled for late November. The 413th FLTS is affiliated with the 96th Test Wing at nearby Eglin AFB. (Source: Eglin AFB 08/01/19)

USM 4th to offer MNG tuition

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The University of Southern Mississippi is partnering with the Mississippi National Guard (MNG) to offer free tuition to the state’s citizen soldiers and airmen. USM President Dr. Rodney Bennett and Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles, the adjutant general of Mississippi, signed a memorandum of understanding July 31 establishing the Golden Eagle Free Tuition Program. The tuition bill will be split between USM and the National Guard. With the agreement, USM becomes the fourth university in Mississippi to offer free undergraduate tuition for Mississippi National Guardsmen. Mississippi State, Jackson State, and the Mississippi University for Women offer similar programs. (Source: WDAM 07/31/19)